


Tactile

by still_lycoris



Category: X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) - Fandom
Genre: Affection, Anxiety, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9213935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/still_lycoris/pseuds/still_lycoris
Summary: Hank sometimes worries when he watches Charles, even though he knows he doesn't need to.





	

Charles was – and always had been – a tactile person.

It made sense that it wasn’t any different with the students. Charles reached out for them, held their hands as he spoke to them, touched their arms and shoulders, hugged them close when they needed it. Hank could see the students respond to that. He was hardly surprised. He remembered when he’d been that person, scared and lonely, grateful for Charles’s easy, casual touches.

It was unfair to be jealous.

The children loved it. They wanted it. They flocked to Charles, hopeful, wanting his kindness. And Charles offered it, ladled out that kindness liberally. And mostly, Hank could live with that.

Except at night.

“Again?” he couldn’t help saying when he opened Charles’s bedroom door, only to find Charles wasn’t there. A search almost always revealed Charles in one of the children’s bedrooms, cuddling and comforting after some nightmare had assaulted them or some fear had got into their minds that he couldn’t ignore.

“It’s not necessarily a good idea, Charles,” he said quietly one night as Charles finally got back into his wheelchair after soothing Carrie-Anne back to sleep. “They might get ideas.”

“Like you?” Charles teased softly and Hank blushed, remembering the times that Charles had touched him, how each touch had gently escalated until Charles had kissed him and that had been that.

“Maybe,” he said, feeling a little silly for saying it. He had been an adult, the children were children and he knew Charles would never dream of doing anything inappropriate with them. It was just that Charles was so ... _Charles_. Of course the children loved him, how could they not and if they loved him so much, things might get complicated.

Charles smiled, touched his hand.

“I understand your worries, Hank. I promise I’ll try to avoid becoming the subject of any adolescent fantasies and if I do, I’ll be careful and not encourage them. But I just can’t ... ignore it. Not when people need me. Not when I know it would help for me to be there.”

Hank knew his smile was a little rueful, knew his thoughts would be too, despite his attempt to control them. He had always known that Charles was someone that had to be shared. That Charles would not and did not belong to him alone. Charles never could belong to just one person. That was the joy of him.

“Don’t worry,” Charles said softly and he took Hank’s hand. “Don’t worry, my Hank.”

It was all he said. It was all he needed to say. Hank ducked down and kissed him. 

“Just let me help whenever I can,” he said. “That’s all I ask. I’m here too, you know.”

Charles smiled that wonderful, warm smile that he had and stroked Hank’s cheek.

“I know,” he said. “I couldn’t do it without you. You know that, don’t you?”

And most of the time, these days, Hank did.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 12dayschristmas 2016


End file.
